Serena Williams returns to the red carpet for the first time since welcoming her daughter

On Tuesday night, Serena Williams made her return to the red carpet after welcoming her first child with fiancé Alexis Ohanian in September.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been on the red carpet, in fact since before I was pregnant,” the athlete said on Instagram ahead of making her comeback at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards. But wait — that’s not true. “Well, actually, it was since the Met Gala.”

For the occasion, the tennis player chose a Versace mini dress with intricate gold embroidery. She finished the look with a high ponytail and a coordinating metallic hair accessory.

At the event, the 23-time Grand Slam champion presented Gigi Hadid with the Supernova award and expressed her admiration for the model: “Gigi, you are one of the few people on this planet I would leave my baby for (for one night) but for you, it shows how much you mean to me. And I want you to imagine the effect you have on the world.”

The 36-year-old continued, “Since I’ve known Gigi Hadid since she was a kid, she’s always been a woman with goals. Not only beautiful on the outside but totally stunning most importantly on the inside.” Williams continued, “She understands in order to be the best you have to think like you are the best. You have to work the hardest and you have to make sacrifices.”